


Sothis Invents Therapy

by dudebladeX



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Character Tags To Be Added - Freeform, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Doubt, all the kids in garreg mach need thereapy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:28:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25150123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dudebladeX/pseuds/dudebladeX
Summary: While grading papers, Byleth and Sothis notice that some students are in desperate need of someone to help them work out their problems. With Byleth being busy with her job, the task falls to Sothis. At least some students can be more open with the Goddess, right?
Comments: 18
Kudos: 80





	1. These Kids Need Help

“Ugh! I’m so bored. Why can’t we go out and do something interesting? I hear that the dining hall has a new meal today. Why don’t we go out and eat?”

“Sothis. We’ve been over this. I have papers to grade.”

“You wouldn’t have so many if you didn’t offer to do it for Manuela and Hanneman.” Sothis pointed out.

“It got them to shut up for a moment. The more you talk, the less I can concentrate on this. And the less I can concentrate on this, the longer it will take.” Byleth countered, “Ugh, youdammit.”

“Which one was it this time?”

“Hilda. She blatantly copied Marianne right down to how she dots her ‘i’s.”

“Oh. And there’s that Gautier child. Who hates crests to the point that he… is this really appropriate for this kind of test? It was just a question about the history of crests. I’m sure he knew the answer.”

Byleth didn’t answer.

“Byleth? Hello? Are you dead again?”

“Considering I don’t have a heartbeat, I doubt I was alive to begin with. But it’s just that… Well…” Byleth gestured to the back of Dimitri’s paper.

Sothis was silent for a moment.

Byleth coughed.

“I mean… he got the contours of a typical human face right… And that spear is rather detailed…” Sothis tried.

“This is graphic! I know that we allow for our students to write or draw on the back of their assistance papers once they’re finished with them, but still…”

“Let’s move on. Oh, look. There’s the paper of that girl that you jumped in front of an axe to save.”

“Am I ever going to live that down?”

“Probably not.” Sothis replied, “Huh… She didn’t capitalize Rhea’s name. Maybe she didn’t have time?”

“Normally I wouldn’t dock her points, but… It’s more of a tangent. Like she’s trying to get something off her chest. If it weren’t for the other students, I’d be more than happy to try to help her out, but literally everyone here has issues.”

“That can’t be true. What about that large fellow- Raphael!” Sothis recalled.

“I’m fairly certain that he’s got issues that are tied to Ignatz. Back to Edelgard, have you… seen the looks that Hilda gives her?”

“Not really. I’m more focused on everyone’s efforts to try to get Bernadetta to open up more. Also, every once in a while, I overhear Marianne, uh… Begging me to… kill her.” Sothis admitted.

The two sat there for a long while until Sothis finally spoke up.

“We’re inventing healing for the mind and soul.”

“Needs a better name.”

“I’ll figure it out later. Are you going to help me or what?”

“Hey, you came up with the idea. And people might feel better about confessing their issues and getting advice from the Goddess, so you do it.” Byleth waved off.

“What? Ugh! I have to do all the work around here!”

“Just get to work, Hilda.” Byleth said, “I’m sorry. Force of habit. Just get to work, Sothis.”


	2. Lysithea

“‘Healing for the mind and soul.’” Lysithea read.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Claude asked.

“I don’t know. These things just showed up last night. With details about where to meet, and what’s going on.”

“So, basically this person just… listens to your problems, and then tries to give advice on how to deal with it?- This feels like a more straightforward version of the confession box.”

“Well, it can’t be a _total_ waste of time.” Lysithea said, “I’ve managed to finish up my work and the professor managed to lighten our load for the week, so there _must_ be something going on.”

“Maybe Teach is the one doing it?”

“No. The professor is busy on a solo mission. Well, I’ll tell you how it goes.”

“Alright. I’ll save you a slice of cake, kiddo.” Claude teased.

“I’m not going to dignify that.”

* * *

Lysithea walked into a shed. There seemed to be a chair, a small table, and a few other nicknacks laying around.

“Uh… Hello?”

“Hi there!”

Lysithea looked around frantically, “What the- Who’s there? I’ll have you know that I know magic!”

“Oh right. My bad.” A small Green-Haired child-looking person suddenly appeared in front of Lysithea, happily waving and floating.

“GAH!”

“Sorry. I’m kinda used to only talking to Byleth.” the stranger apologized, “Anyways, I’m Sothis. The Goddess, apparently. And I’m here to listen to your problems and help you through them.”

Sothis waited for a moment.

“Uh, hello?”

She waved a hand in front of the young girl- _woman._ She remembered that Lysithea wasn’t a fan of being treated like a child. Now she just needed to snap her out of it. What was it that got her attention?- Ah! Sweets. Sothis rummaged around and grabbed a sweet bun that she had asked Byleth to drop off earlier so that she could at least _test_ if she could eat on her own or not, but if it got this student to awake from her shocked state so that she could help her, then she supposed that it would be fine.

Maybe she could get some tea later.

After waving it in front of Lysithea’s face a few times, the Ordelia girl finally woke up.

“So uh… the _Goddess?_ Isn’t that blasphemy or something?- Impersonating her?”

“Please. What’s the church going to do?- Execute me? I’ve been living inside of Byleth’s head for the last- Well, I guess since her father doesn’t want the _Church_ to know her age, I suppose I can’t reveal it to you either.”

“W-Wait. A-are you a g-ghost?” Lysithea asked, shaking in her shoes again.

“”It’s… Complicated. Anyways, I’m here to try to get you to heal from your past issues. Now, would you care to tell me what bothers you in particular?”

“So, this is like casting Heal but, you’re doing it for the mind?”

“Yes. Also, there’s no real spell for it, so I have to rely on being someone that everyone could talk to. Truth be told, I only recently found out that I _was_ the Goddess a few weeks ago. Or that, at the very least, I share the same name as her. So I figured, ‘Why not try to use that to encourage people to-’”

“Prove it.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Prove that you’re the Goddess. What do I pray for every morning?”

“I’ve lived inside of Byleth’s head. And given what she’s heard, it doesn’t take a Goddess to know that you’re praying for a good grade and that your favorite treat is that honey-coated apple slice.” Sothis deadpanned.

“Alright then. What am I proficient in?”

“Magic. And getting those battalions to listen to you.” Sothis prattled off, “But you also aren’t that proficient in using swords, axes, lances, or in using heavy armor. Look. This isn’t going to prove anything. Can we _please_ just get on with working through your troubles?”

“… Fine.” Lysithea conceded as she sat down on the chair, “I guess… I don’t know. What _should_ I talk about?”

“Well, we can talk about why exactly you hate being treated as a child. From what I understand, you are the youngest person to be admitted.”

“It’s just that… I don’t _want_ to be seen as a child. It makes me feel like everyone is treating me special or with kid gloves, and that just feels so…” She trailed off as if she was looking for the right word.

“Condescending?” Sothis offered.

“Yes that!”

“I can understand that. But why not enjoy it? You have your whole life ahead of you to-” Sothis stopped talking as she noticed that Lysithea turned away and was fighting off tears at the mention of ‘whole life.’

“What happened?”

“I… I don’t want to talk about it.” Lysithea answered.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to. Did you want to talk about some of the school subjects that you like?- Take your mind off it?”

“I enjoy practicing my magic. It just feels like a bigger and more useful thing than swinging an axe or a lance around.”

“Understandable. What about things that you like to read? Any stories that you enjoy?”

“I don’t have time for stories!” Lysithea snapped, before realizing what she had said, “… A while ago, some strange men in masks took over my family’s territory. And they took the children… Including me…”

Sothis was paying attention, and made sure that Lysithea was well-aware of the fact by placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Not everyone made it. _I_ did. And since then… I’ve had two crests. Sounds great, right?- But the catch… The catch was that I lost _so_ much of my life. I don’t have much longer to live because of that.” She wiped a tear from her eye, “It seems so contradictory, I lost my childhood, so now I reject it. All to try to go further and make my life mean something. To… try and make sure that what happened to me… doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

The way Lysithea hung her head down gave Sothis the impression that this was something the noble hadn’t shared with anyone before. She wanted to find the right words to say, but couldn’t.

Instead she hugged her tight.

“It’s okay. You’re safe. You’re among friends.”

“It’s just… _Why_ would anyone do that? _Why?_ ”

“I don’t know. But perhaps this obsession with crests that everyone has would lead people to go down that dark path. If you truly want to make sure that what happened to you doesn’t happen to anyone else, maybe you could try to change society’s view on crests.”

“That feels like an impossible task. The church has made it abundantly clear that crests are important. And besides, knowing how everything works, those experiments were likely done by some noble who bought their way out of trouble. Someone should put a way to keep them in check in place.”

“Then why not work for that? And while you’re at it, have some fun. Embrace the things that made you happy. Growing up doesn’t mean turning your back on the things that you enjoy. There’s no harm in reading a fairy tale or playing a game with your friends.”

“Yeah, but… Claude would make fun of me for it.” Lysithea said, finally smiling since coming in.

“So let him. He’s just trying to get a reaction out of you. That doesn’t mean retaliating or telling him off. Instead, how about saying something like ‘I happen to be enjoying the things that I like. If that makes me childish, then you planning all those pranks makes you just as much of a child as it does me.’”

Lysithea giggled, “I’ll definitely try that out. And hey…”

“Yeah?”

“Um, this was kinda helpful. Is it alright if I come by again? On another day, of course! You probably want to work with the other students too.”

“Of course. Just spread the word, okay?” Sothis said.

“Thanks! I will!” Lysithea scampered off to her usual activities.

“That felt nice… Being able to help out.”


	3. Ingrid

“‘Like casting healing magic for the mind.’” Ingrid read.

“C’mon, Ingrid. You can’t seriously think that that would _work._ ” Sylvain criticized, “It’s not like anyone can just cast a spell and solve your problems.”

“Well, maybe. But it _does_ use the specific wording of ‘ _like_ casting healing magic for the mind.’” She pointed out, “And it’s not like I can even be a _decent_ knight if my head isn’t in the right place, let alone an excellent one.”

“Whatever. It’s your gold.”

“It says it’s free.”

“Your time then.” Sylvain waved off, “Look, are we going to actually _talk_ about this assignment, or are you just going to be staring at that piece of paper all day while scarfing down all that meat? Seriously! If that were fish, I’d probably mistake you for Flayn.”

“Ha ha. Look, we can talk later. Whoever this is, well… They seem sincere enough.”

“Knowing them, they’d probably get in trouble by using the Goddess’ name.”

“Who knows?- Maybe her parents were devout followers and decided on using that name.” Ingrid suggested.

“Doubt it. Even the most devout followers don’t go _that_ far. It’s like if we actually had Saint Cichol around here. They’d at least try to change their name to not draw attention.”

“Well, I’m going. Worst case is that I waste my time.”

“SYLVAIN!”

“And that’s my cue to leave. Good luck cleaning _this_ up.”

* * *

“‘It’s like recovery magic, only there’s no fancy spells, and the wounds healed are the mental ones.’” Sothis muttered to herself, “Nah, that’s a bit too long.”

_*Knock knock knock*_

“You may come in.”

“Hi, my name is Ingrid, and… Please tell me a _child_ isn’t going to be the one listening to my problems.”

“Hey! I’m old enough to be your grandmother’s grandmother! I may not look like it, but I’ve been around for a _very_ long time.” Sothis replied.

“Ugh, this is probably a waste of my time. I’m leav-”

“Oh no you don’t.” Sothis said, using her magic to shut the door, “You came here looking for help, insult me, and then you think you just get to leave?- You are going to sit down, and talk about your problems young lady!”

“Alright alright. I’m sitting down. You could at least get some better accommodations. This shed feels so stifling.”

“I’ll be sure to see what I can do. Now, is there anything you’d like to talk about?”

“I don’t know. What _should_ I talk about?”

“Anything really. What do you want to get off your chest?”

“This feels like a confessional.” Ingrid muttered.

“Less sass, more working through your problems.”

“Fine!” Ingrid groaned, “I guess there’s… There’s my dad. He’s always butting into my business. Trying to marry me off to some noble just to preserve the lineage.”

“Ah. I wish I could relate so I could understand your problem better.” Sothis said.

“I wouldn’t want this for anyone else, but really… What’s the point?- I’d end up marrying because it would be what my father would want. Not anything _I’d_ want. And then there’s Sylvain.”

“What about him?”

“He’s just so… ugh! He’s irritating. He’s always chasing anything in a skirt! One time he flirted with a scarecrow. A _scarecrow!_ How does that even work? Not to mention my granny!”

“Sylvain flirted with your grandmother?”

“Right in front of me!”

“Oh my.”

“It just feels like I have to clean up after him. Every time. I know he’s dealing with something similar to what _I’m_ going through, but does he have to be so reckless about it?”

“You said that he’s going through something similar to what you’re going through, right?” Sothis waited until Ingrid nodded her head, “Well, the two of you could bond over that. Now, I understand that your main goal is to become a knight?”

“Yeah, but it’s hard. My dad’s always breathing down my neck about finding a husband so that I can continue the family line and pass down my crest. Honestly, this thing has given me more trouble than it’s worth.” Ingrid bemoaned.

“I’m sorry about that. If there was anything that I could do, I would abolish the crest system.”

“That’s nice.” Ingrid said, “Kinda weird coming from the girl who claims to be the one that basically established it in the first place though.”

“If I did, then it was a _massive_ mistake on my part.” Sothis replied with a smile.

“Sometimes I wonder if I should just marry Sylvain and be done with it.”

“Why him?- Weren’t you just complaining about him a few moments ago?”

“Well, as much as he’s irritated me, he’s always had my back in a fight. And he hates crests almost as much as the church loves them. Truth be told, if it were up to me, I’d marry him instead.”

“Why him in particular though?”

“Like I said: He’s always had my back in a fight.” Ingrid responded, “And I… _I_ think that _he_ thinks that all girls that are after him only want his crest, so he puts up that outdated ladies’ man act to make himself miserable.”

“I see… Well, please send him my way. I’d like to help him work through his problems.” 

“You’d probably be the one to get through his thick head.” Ingrid chuckled.

“I got through Byleth’s.” Sothis agreed.

“Is it wrong that I feel like I’m replacing Glenn with Sylvain though?” Ingrid asked.

“Glenn?”

“Right. Glenn is… _was_ Felix’s brother. He died in the tragedy of Duscur to those _monsters_ from that place.”

“Why call them monsters?”

“What else would they be?- They killed Glenn! They killed the king! They killed so many people there!” Ingrid was screaming at this point, “If _they’re_ the ones who went through with it, then as far as _I’m_ concerned, they’re _all_ guilty!”

“They might be victims as well. Forced to go through with it on the threat of their lives.” Sothis offered.

“They still didn’t have to-”

“- Do you remember Lonato?” Sothis interrupted.

“Yes. Why?”

“He felt like he was forced into doing what he did because his son was killed. I can understand that a tragedy like that can make a person do some bad things, but answer me: Does Lonato and his forces doing what they did mean everyone from Faerghus are bad?”

“No.” Ingrid muttered, knowing where the conversation was going.

“Then a few people from Duscur doesn’t make everyone from that place bad people either.”

“But-”

“That man who follows Dimitri around, Dedue, was it?” Sothis asked as Ingrid nodded, “Is _he_ a bad person?”

“I… I guess not. But what if-”

“Don’t. I know what you’re going to say. By that logic, _you_ are ‘one of the good ones’ as well.” Sothis pointed out, “It’s okay to be angry. But blaming an entire culture won’t bring Glenn back. It won’t undo the deaths of those that died that day. As much as it hurts, we have to accept death as a part of life. We can’t undo it. Not without consequences.”

“I… I guess I still have to learn how to let go…” Ingrid relented.

“It’s okay to show weakness, you know.” Sothis said, “If you want to cry about Glenn and the others, you can do it. You can do it here if it makes you feel safer.”

“I… I didn’t get a lot of time to mourn after he died.” Ingrid said, tearing up, “I… thank you.”

She sobbed silently. Sothis comforted her as best she could.

It was a full thirty minutes until Ingrid calmed down, “That felt… nice.”

“Here. Some tea leaves for when you get back to your room and need to calm down.”

“Chamomile.” Ingrid wiped a tear from her eye, “This is… This is one of my favorites. Thanks so much.”

“No problem. Feel free to come back if you ever have any problems.” Sothis offered, “Actually, I might have other people who want help too, so be sure to knock first.”

“Will do. You know… You’re nothing like I pictured. I thought that you’d be some great warrior or something. Not a… soothsayer.”

“With age comes wisdom.” Sothis said, “Now I don’t think you’d want to keep your friends or studies waiting.”

“Okay. I’ll be sure to tell other people about you.”


	4. Dorothea

“AUGH! Nobles can be so  _ stuck up _ sometimes!” Dorothea growled.

“Okay, one: I’m standing right here. Two: What happened?”

“It’s nothing Ingrid. Some noble just asked me if I could refill his drink today. Do I  _ look _ like I’m part of the waitstaff?”

“Not at all. And I hope you gave that noble a solid hit with your magic for that.” Ingrid sighed, “sometimes, I feel like life would be better without the nobility system, you know? Knights could be the ones who protect the people as a whole instead of a lord that would probably make them fight another lord over something petty like a fruit tree dropping plums on the other’s territory.”

“Aren’t  _ you _ a noble?”

“Yeah, and look where that’s gotten me. I’m stuck as a knight that would probably have to give up her family name because my dad keeps sending me so many requests from other nobles who want my hand in marriage.” Ingrid grumbled, “I should really talk to that soothsayer about this.”

“Talk to a  _ what _ now?”

“There’s a shed not too far from Professor Eisner’s quarters. Some short woman who claims to be the Goddess or something is offering to be an ear for people to talk about their problems and to help them work through them.” Ingrid explained.

“So it’s like having a calming bath, but instead of relaxing the muscles, it’s for the mind?”

“I guess? She hasn’t really figured out the analogy yet, and to be honest, the name could use some work.” Ingrid explained, “If you want, I can show you which shed she’s using.”

“I’d… I’d like that.”

* * *

“I wonder if I should charge Rhea for this… I’d feel bad about charging Manuela, she already has enough issues with money-”

_ *Knock Knock* _

“Uh, hello? You’re not busy, right?” Dorothea asked on the other side of the door.

“Not at all. Come on it.” Sothis invited.

“So, uh… Is this exclusive to nobles, or…”

“It’s open to all students here. And faculty, but I personally think that the students need it more. You’re Dorothea, right? Byleth talks a lot about you. Mostly how painful your spells are.”

“Uh, okay? Anyways, Ingrid recommended this place to me. So, what exactly am I supposed to do?”

“Sit down, and talk about your problems so that I can try to give you advice about it.”

“Okay…” Dorothea moved to the chair and sat down.

Sothis remained silent for a bit, as did Dorothea.

“I’m… sorry. I’m not entirely sure about this. I’m not particularly religious due to what happened in my life.” Dorothea said, “Also, you look absolutely  _ nothing _ like the Goddess that you claim to be.”

“First: I’m not particularly religious either. So you don’t have to worry about that here. Second: I’m aware of that. The only thing I knew was that I lived a long time, what my name was, and a few other general memories that I kinda got from Byleth.”

“Why her in particular?”

“I was apparently asleep inside of her for most of her life.” Sothis shrugged, “But we’re not here to talk about Byleth, we’re here to talk about  _ you. _ What’s troubling you?”

“Well, I guess the nobility. I hardly get any respect from them at all due to my commoner status and… well, it just stings a bit. I’m not being judged based on  _ who _ I am, I’m being judged based on my status.” Dorothea said.

“I see. I have a feeling that it’s a bit more than that though.” Sothis noted.

“What do you mean?”

“There’s another thing getting at you. And I don’t just mean your constant flirting, there’s something…  _ deeper _ going on.”

“I guess… I guess I’m just afraid of dying alone.” Dorothea said, “I mean, who wouldn’t be? I think that it’s something that everyone doesn’t want to deal with.”

“A perfectly rational fear. But I don’t think that’s it either. Or at least, not the  _ entire _ thing.”

Dorothea sighed, “I… I don’t want to talk about it.”

“You don’t have to. Talk about something else. How about what makes you happy?”

“I like singing and acting.”

“Ah. There it is.”

“Don’t tell me that you think I’m just putting on a front all the time.” Dorothea scoffed.

“ _ I _ don’t have to. You just said it.” Sothis pointed out, “Now, let’s try again: What’s troubling you?- The  _ real _ you.”

“I’m just  _ sick _ and  _ tired _ of all these nobles! It’s just so…  _ irritating! _ They think that just being born into a certain family means that they get to walk all over the commoners and it’s infuriating!” Dorothea snarled, “They bleed the same blood as the commoners, and they can  _ die _ the same way! But  _ somehow, _ it’s the  _ commoners _ who have to fight for them. Have to work as a knight for them. Have to… Have to perform on stage for their amusement for them…” She started tearing up a bit.

“I thought that you liked the stage?”

“I liked it better when I was doing it because  _ I _ liked it. Not because some rich noble from Goddess-knows-where demanded it. They think it’s easy to act. It’s not. There are so many things that can go wrong on a production and we have to account for all of them.” Dorothea looked down.

“I couldn’t imagine what that’s like. But I can try. Were there any particular moments that stood out to you?”

“Not really. We were expected to move on like that.” The brunette snapped her fingers, “If someone got hurt, was sick, left the show, or died, we were expected to move on like nothing happened. We hardly got time to reflect or send sympathies. And now it’s more of the same here. If one of our fellow classmates dies or gets too beaten up to fight again, we’re expected to move on. As if nothing happened. Like we’re just supposed to  _ forget _ what happened.”

“Yes. It  _ is _ not a comforting thought to live with. And quite honestly, I am not one who agrees with sending children into battle. It’s wrong and amoral to expect you all to simply fall in line with the teachings.”

“Heh, for someone claiming to be the Goddess, you seem to have quite a few criticisms about your religion.”

“I’m fairly certain that I did not request a religion. And even if I  _ did, _ I’d want it taken down or reformed. These beliefs that are being preached do not match my own beliefs today.”

“I can’t believe it. The  _ Goddess _ of all beings saying that she doesn’t like the church.”

“Please refrain from using the word ‘Beings.’” Sothis requested, “I’d like to actually…  _ Feel _ like a person rather than someone above all others. I think that it’s better to be treated as an equal than a superior.”

“If only the nobility thought the way you do.” Dorothea sighed, “But I will have to admit, that this was rather… cathartic in a way. It felt good to let it all out.”

“You’re welcome to come by at any time. So long as I’m not with another student.”

“I’m sure that someone will find a way to organize a schedule.” Dorothea waved off, “Anyways, I have some classes to attend and people to meet.”

“I hope we can do this again so we can help you through your problems.”

“Likewise. I’d spread the word around about you, but I feel that a commoner talking about meeting the Goddess in-person to talk about my problems would probably get me a name that I wouldn’t care for.”

“Understandable.” Sothis nodded, “Have a good day.”

“You too!”


	5. Ignatz

“Hey Ignatz! Glad I caught you here! Want to eat together?”

“Uh, no thanks Raphael. I’m not hungry and I have some work to do.” Ignatz replied.

“What? But you just sat down to eat.” Raphael pointed out.

“I… The food’s all yours. I gotta go.” Ignatz said as he rushed out of the dining hall.

Raphael sighed as he sat down. Was it really  _ that _ hard to have his best friend back?

“Hey. I saw what happened.” Lysithea said as she sat down. Her plate was full of fruits and a small bit of fish.

“I really don’t get it. I’m  _ trying _ to be friends with him again. But he still keeps avoiding me.” Raphael lamented, picking at his food.

“Do you want me to talk to him?” Lysithea offered.

“Nah. I don’t know really. I was pretty excited to see him here so we could spend time together like old times, but he’s always avoiding me. I wish that he’d just understand that I don’t blame him.”

“Well, if it helps, I know a person that  _ he _ could talk to. You want me to get him to go there?”

“Yeah, I’d appreciate that. Who is the person anyways?”

* * *

“I should really get Byleth to try to get better doctrines in place. All these hindrances in advancements will more than likely hurt humanity in the long run-”

_ *Knock knock knock knock* _

“Oh! Come in!” Sothis called as she got to her own chair and brought out a notebook.

“Uh, hello?” A young man with glasses said as he walked in.

“Hi there! I’m Sothis. Apparent Goddess of this medamned backwards religion, and I guess healer for the tragedies of the past.”

“I uh… You…”

“Aren’t anything like what you expected?” Sothis grinned, “Yes, I am aware. I honestly am not a fan of the ways I’m depicted. A great Warrior-Goddess really doesn’t feel like me. But regardless, I’m back after being dead and inside Byleth’s head for who-knows how long, and I’m here to help people.”

“Can you bring people back from the dead?”

“Alas, that is not within my power.” Sothis lamented, “Who was it? Your parents? A sibling?”

“No. It’s… It’s the parents of my classmate Raphael.” Ignatz lamented, “See, both of our parents were merchants, and when mine were called to do some business they were busy with something else. So they sent Raphaels’ parents in their place and…” He looked down.

“I see. Does Raphael blame you or them for it?”

“No. And that’s the problem. I really feel like he  _ should _ blame me for them. My family didn’t do anything to help after his parents died, and-”

“Did your parents have any direct contribution to their deaths?” Sothis asked.

“Well no, but-”

“Then it seems to me that what you need to do is have an honest conversation with Raphael. He needs to understand that you feel guilty, and  _ you _ need to understand that he holds no ill-will against you.” Sothis said, “But that’s not the only reason you’re here, is it?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I think that you feel like you’re being  _ forced _ to attend this academy.” Sothis said, “Byleth told me about your artwork, and even if I’m not  _ entirely _ comfortable with how I’m depicted, you have a real great talent.”

“It’s not like it can do any good though…”

“You know what kind of things I’ve seen?” Sothis asked. Ignatz shook his head at the question before the Goddess continued, “I’ve seen bodies, laying on the ground. Heads separated from their bodies, and weapons impaled in others. Your art?- You art has none of that. It’s… Refreshing. It’s nice. It’s peaceful. And in these times, we need something that can remind us of the peaceful days.”

“Huh. I never really thought of it like that. But still, it won’t pay the bills.”

“There are quite a few nobles who would probably want a portrait of themselves being depicted as a great warrior. Now, getting them to actually _pay_ _up_ after the fact is something entirely different.” Sothis advised, “So it would probably be helpful to also train so that you don’t get stolen from.”

“Well, I still don’t think that it will help my family. And I guess I feel…” He trailed off.

“Guilty? I understand that. But you want to know something? If your family loves you, then they’ll support what you want to do with your life. Like I said: There are plenty of nobles that would  _ love _ a painting to be done of them. In fact, I’m sure that Claude will at some point, commission you to make a portrait of him at some point.”

“I… How do you know that?”

“Because you have a large group of friends that would want to support you and what you do. You’re never alone.”

“Still-”

“Ignatz. I don’t  _ want _ to have to get Byleth to beat it into your skull: People  _ like _ art! Art is essential! It helps us appreciate life better. It helps us to accept death. Artists are needed because they provide a service nobody else can easily provide.”

“I’m not following.”

“Look.” Sothis laid out, “As much as you mortals want to think that I’m some perfect Goddess that can snap her fingers and make anything appear, I’m  _ not. _ I can’t just will a portrait into existence!”

Ignatz was a bit startled for a moment, he wasn’t really sure where to go with this. Painting was what made him happy, but if he couldn’t support his family or friends, then what was the point-

“You have talent, Ignatz. A great talent that a lot of people would love to have. And if they can’t have it, then they would likely want to have someone they employ with that talent.” Sothis explained, “You can use painting to express yourself. To help others understand something.”

“What am I supposed to help them understand?”

“Well, that’s for you to figure out.” Sothis said, “I can’t have  _ all _ the answers, contrary to popular belief. Whomever decided to say that I  _ did _ should honestly be backhanded.”

* * *

“*AHCHOO!*”

“Gesundheit, Lady Rhea.”

“Thank you Catherine. Perhaps it was  _ not _ wise to try out Flayn’s extra-peppered pike.”

* * *

“I think that this was actually pretty helpful. You’ve given me a lot to think about.” Ignatz said, “I don’t know how to repay you.”

“Eh, I’m not really looking for payment. But if you could like… I don’t know… have a painting of a flower field somewhere here to brighten the place up, that’d be nice. Oh wait, I don’t actually have gold on me at the moment-”

“Consider this session payment then.” Ignatz said, “I’d hate to take advantage of your helpfulness after all.”

_ *Slam!* _

“… Clever boy…”


	6. Felix

Sothis was busy humming in her office. Well, it wasn’t really an office, it was more like an old storehouse that Byleth Procured to hold weapons and armor that was repurposed. She kept a notebook of what Lysithea had told her so that the next time she came by, the two of them could see how Lysithea, Ingrid, Dorothea, and Ignatz were progressing on their recovery.

_ *knock knock knock* _

“Coming in!” The voice said before Sothis could respond. Felix Hugo Fraldarius, as Sothis recalled, was a bit of a loner from the few times he and Byleth had interacted.

“Hello, can I help you?”

“This is the place where guys like me can vent about stuff?”

“… Yes?” Sothis wasn’t entirely sure about what was going on, but she decided to roll with it.

“Alright. Fine. I got barred from the training grounds after I hit my sparring partner too hard, and I’m pissed off about it.” Felix grumbled, “So, is there something here I can hit?"

“No. We  _ talk _ about our problems here.” Sothis said bluntly.

“Ugh, If I wanted to talk, I’d do it with…” He trailed off.

“Felix…  _ Do _ you have someone to talk to?” Sothis asked.

Sighing, Felix halfheartedly tossed himself on the couch.

“No.”

“Really? Why do you think that is?”

“Because other people are too idealistic for my tastes.”

“Hmm… No. I don’t think that’s it.” Sothis said.

“What?- How can you… Who even  _ are _ you anyways?”

“You didn’t read the flier?- I’m Sothis. Apparently, I’m the Goddess of this religion. Pretty sure I never asked for a religion, but maybe the person who started it did it off a drunken dare. Because I’m not really a fan of how it operates.”

“The  _ Goddess. _ ” Felix repeated.

“Yes. I had this conversation already. Now, I’ll ask again: Felix, why do  _ you _ think nobody likes to talk to you?”

Felix sighed before turning over so he faced the ceiling, “I guess… I don’t know. After my brother died, it was hard. My old man basically undermined his life with his ‘he died like a true knight’ malarkey.”

“‘Malarkey’?”

“Annette’s been bugging me not to swear as much.” Felix explained.

“Ah. Continue.” Sothis told him.

“And it’s just… It makes life feel so… so… Meaningless.” Felix finally found the word he was looking for, “As if  _ my _ life, Ingrid’s, or Sylvain’s or…  _ anyone’s _ life doesn’t matter compared to the Boar’s life. If  _ that’s _ the path of the knight, then why bother?- All it does is just make you a good little soldier that has to throw their life away for whatever idiot lord that hires them.”

“So you feel that this definition of knighthood is what makes you so resentful of all that?”

“I… know that I wasn’t the only one who lost Glenn. But everyone just seems to want to… I dunno, compare me to him. As if my brother is the only thing worth noting about me. And then there’s the Boar, who got it in his head that Glenn only really mattered to him. As if his relationship with me is nonexistent.”

“Felix, I can tell you right now that Dimitri  _ doesn’t _ think like that. He misses Glenn just as much as you do. He  _ saw _ him die after all.”

“Yeah, speaking of that, why didn’t  _ you _ do anything?- You’re the Goddess, right?- What the hell?”

“Look: even  _ I _ don’t know what was going on. All I know is that when Byleth met those kids in Remire, I woke up. I had no real memories of what happened prior. I was just more or less a voice in Byleth’s head.”

“So the church was lying when they said you were omnipotent and omnipresent?”

“Yeah.” Sothis bluntly said.

“Wow… Dick move on their end.”

“I’d like to reiterate that I’m certain that I didn’t ask for a church to be dedicated to me. Anyways, we were talking about Dimitri?”

“I…” Felix shook his head, “I think that that’s a conversation that  _ he _ has to have with  _ you. _ Assuming the Boar actually wises up and realizes that he needs help.”

“Well, tell me about your feelings on him then. Why does he bother you so much?”

“It’s just that look in his eyes. It’s not natural. He looks like he’s ready to snap at any given moment and go on a rampage.”

“You came in here saying that  _ you _ were too rough on your sparring partner. Isn’t it a bit hypocritical to condemn  _ him _ for his brash and hostile tendencies that lurk beneath the surface when your own are on full display?”

“At least  _ I _ don’t hide it behind a facade. Dimitri might have everyone else fooled, but not me.” Felix grumbled, “The worst part is that deep down… I can’t blame him. He… He never really left the Tragedy of Duscur. Beneath all that, he’s just some scared kid seeing the people he cared about die right in front of him.”

“It’s big of you to admit that, Felix. And it’s a step in the right direction.”

“How so?”

“Realizing that you have a problem is always the first, and in some cases, the hardest step to take. People don’t like acknowledging their faults.” Sothis explained, “Their  _ real _ faults. Sometimes that’s because of pride, or because they feel like they’d be burdening others with them. Others might try to project their problems onto others, and some might not even realize that they’re forcing other people to bear the brunt of their own issues.”

“And then there’s me?”

“No. You hide what’s bothering you. Not because of pride, but because deep down… You feel like it’s only  _ your  _ burden to bear. It’s not, Felix. People care about you. Good people. And I also know that  _ you _ care for  _ them _ too. It’s okay to be vulnerable. You don’t always have to be this tough guy all the time.”

“It’s kinda hard though. Sometimes I feel like everyone only sees me as ‘Glenn’s brother’ and not…  _ me. _ ” Felix admitted.

“You’re your own man Felix. Whether that means dying on the battlefield, or beating someone in an arm wrestling contest, or some other thing, one thing remains constant: You are you. Not your brother. Not Dimitri. Not Sylvain. Not Ashe. You. Be yourself, but try to open up to others. You’re not alone. You never are.”

“I’m… I’m scared that I don’t know who I am really though. I’ve spent a lot of time with all these walls up, that I don’t really remember.”

“Then make a new Felix. One that  _ can _ open up to others. Nobody’s going to think like you, so don’t make them. You’re your own man, Felix. Now go out there and live.”

“… Thanks kid.” Felix finally said.

“I’m going to let that slide for now. Now go on. There’s probably some stuff in the marketplace that might catch your eye. And feel free to stop by and ask if I have the time to talk. It’s boring around here without Byleth as surprising as that sentence is, and you kids are interesting.”

“I’ll be sure to do that.”

“Okay. Oh! And spread the wor-”

_ *Slam!* _

“… Medammit. I can’t keep relying on fliers, I need word of mouth. Ugh, headstrong and stubborn as ever, Felix.” Sothis shook her head.


	7. Caspar

“Hey little bro. Is there something wrong?” Dorothea noticed Caspar wasn’t really his usual energetic self today.

“It’s nothing really. Just… y’know.”

“Stuff got you down?”

“Yeah. Sometimes I feel like… I’m just lost. If that makes sense.” Caspar gestured to emptiness.

“Like you don’t know what to do with your life?” She offered.

“Yeah. Like… What am I supposed to do after all this? I don’t really know what I’m going to do with my life. I don’t have anything to get after my old man kicks the bucket or anything.”

“Do… Do you want to talk about it?”

“It doesn’t feel right though. I’d basically be dumping it all on you.” Caspar said.

“Well, maybe not  _ me… _ ” Dorothea suggested.

* * *

“I should try to get Byleth to take Ignatz out to lunch or something. This painting is too good to  _ just _ be a payment for helping him out.” Sothis muttered to herself.

_ *Knock knock* _

“Uh, hello?- Is this… Sothis’ office?- Dorothea, I’m really not sure about this. I mean… The  _ Goddess? _ Of all people?”

“Look, little bro. I know it’s weird and all, but trust me. Even if she  _ isn’t _ the Goddess, she gives really great advice and can help you sort through what you’re going through.”

“I’m right here. And I can hear you. Can you please come in?” Sothis called.

“Uh, hey Sothis. So um, my friend here, was kinda going through a bit of an… existential crisis of sorts, and I figured that he might want to talk it out with someone?” Dorothea offered, “Now that I think about it, ‘existential crisis’ is probably not the word I’m looking for-”

She stopped herself when she realized that Sothis and Caspar were staring at her rambling, “I’ll just go now. I was planning to have lunch with Edie and Petra later.” She quickly exited the room.

“Quite the found family you have.” Sothis offered.

“Uh… Thanks? What exactly is this?”

“I think the best word for the moment is ‘sage advice’ or something. Still working out a lot of the details. It’s worked so far.” Sothis shrugged.

“So basically, this is the advice box?- But in person?”

“Pretty much. But we also go into detail to work through your problems.”

“Okay, so… Where do I start?” Caspar asked.

“Well, your friend said you were having an existential crisis, right?- Maybe start there.”

“Well,” Caspar sat down on the sofa that Sothis had recently acquired, “I guess I’m just not really confident about the future.”

“So, you just live in the moment?- Nothing is wrong with that.” Sothis pointed out.

“Yeah, but I feel like I could be better than that.” Caspar said.

“So, you feel like that you should think ahead more often?- I guess it’s easier said than done.”

“Yeah. Exactly!” Caspar exclaimed, “Uh, sorry for yelling.”

“No problem. Is there something else you’re not comfortable talking about?”

“Not really?”

Sothis stared at him for a bit before shrugging, “Alright. Then I guess you-”

“Okay, you got me. I  _ hate _ that I’m a hothead.” Caspar confessed, “I feel like I could get people hurt because I’m always rushing into a fight without thinking. All I’m good at is fighting!”

“Well, maybe find a way to-”

“And then there’s the fact that I feel guilty about my dad hurting Shamir’s people, and killing Petra’s dad!”

“I’m pretty sure-”

“And then there was this guy with a scorpion tattoo that-”   


“Caspar. Enough.” Sothis grumbled, “You aren’t responsible for what your dad did. Yeesh, Sins of the Father, much?”

“I’m not following.”

“Of course. Look Caspar: You’re a friendly guy. You don’t have to feel guilty for what the people in your family did. You aren’t them. You’ll never be them unless that’s what you’re trying to do.” Sothis explained, “Life isn’t set by your family. You have to cut your own path.”

“Heh. Now you sound like Edelgard.”

“The arrogant one?- I like her and all, but I  _ highly _ doubt that I sound like her.”

“I… I’m sorry.  _ What _ did you just call Edelgard?”

“We’re not talking about her. In all honesty, she should make her plans for a rebellion less obvious, but that’s not the point. We’re here to talk about  _ you _ .”

“Plans for a what now?”

“Plans for a future. Now, from what I understand about your problem, you feel like your future is uncertain. That’s fine.” Sothis said, “Nobody is certain about the future. Byleth can rewind time, and even  _ she _ is uncertain about the future.”

“The professor can do what now?”

“Not important. The  _ point _ is that  _ everyone  _ is uncertain about the future. I’m the medamned  _ Goddess _ of this religion, and even  _ I’m  _ uncertain about the future!”

“Huh, I guess it’s a little comforting to know that other people aren’t as certain about the future too.” Caspar finally said, “Even the Goddess, apparently.”

“I’m just along for the ride.”

“What does that even mean?”

“I don’t know. I heard Linhardt say it once… I think…” Sothis shrugged, “All I’m saying is that you can’t always be afraid of the future. Look forward to it instead.”

“Huh… Good advice.”

“Glad to hear it.” Sothis beamed, “Now, are we good?”

“Yeah. We’re good.” Caspar said, finally calm.

“Great. Now why don’t you head on out? Live life and all that.”

Caspar got up and started to the door, “Will do. Hey, waitaminute, you said something about the Profess-”

_ *SLAM!* _

“Hmm… I think Ignatz likes that one Cabbage and Herring dish. Maybe I can get Byleth to take him out with that… Assuming I can get her to stop obsessing over Edelgard for once…”


End file.
